When I was growing up, there was always an afternoon movie at 4:30. And if I was lucky, it would be something I liked. It was one of the only times I was able to watch what I wanted since my father would’t be home until 6 or 6:30.
Many of the films were black and white (talkies - right up my father’s alley) and if I was lucky, it would be something my father would let me finish instead of just rudely walking up to the TV and changing the channel to CBS news resulting in a wining session I never won.
I loved all of Jerry’s films - with and without his partner Dean Martin. I learned that my mom and dad actually had very close seats to an appearance the famous comedy team made in New York City before I was born. Oh, what I would have given. According to my father, while Jerry would usually spend his summers performing with his parents in the Catskills, he actually spent a summer or two vacationing in Breton Woods only four doors down the street from our house when he was very young.
Later, Jerry would have a TV show - a show that I would never miss - unless I acted up in which case I would be banned from watching the show - undoubtedly a case of cruel and unusual punishment.
Later, Jerry would have a TV show - a show that I would never miss - unless I acted up in which case I would be banned from watching the show - undoubtedly a case of cruel and unusual punishment.
Now, my sister Soozi, four years my senior was anything BUT into Jerry Lewis, pretty much because I was. That was actually part of her job - to despise anything her little brother was into. In return, I hated anything she was into, which was mostly reading. So, sibling rivalry was in full force at the time - and to my sister, Jerry was just silly, which was the whole point to me. Soozi would simply groan and go off to her room and read a book rather than enjoy the silliness on the screen with her pain-in-the-ass brother.
Well, years passed and the sibling rivalry was replaced with a closeness that we share to this day as is the norm for most brothers and sisters. Soozi was raising her first daughter Marie and had acquired quite a video collection. During a visit, after everyone had turned in, she told me to look through the collection and to feel free to watch anything I wanted. To my astonishment, in her collection was just about all of the post-partnership Jerry Lewis’ films. A treasure trove of silliness - right there in my sister’s video collection! I was beside myself (which takes up some room, let me tell you…). I asked her why.
“They’re great for children,” she replied.
“Huh?” I said, still in shock.
“Next to Disney films, Jerry Lewis films are great for children. Think about it. Mostly all of his work after Dean Martin was pretty much directed at children. They all have a very good message in them.”
Soozi said this as a matter-of-factly as if this was something I already knew - which I never paid any attention to, really. I just liked him because he was so silly.
If you click on the link below, you will find a 10 part video titled, “Jerry Lewis - Listen to a Genius" starting with part 1. Parts 2 thru 10 are accessible on the right as usual. Jerry, along with some of his close associates tell his story of film making after his breakup with Dean Martin giving us all a new appreciation of his work and the genius that is Jerry Lewis. He’s got a strong personality and sometimes comes off as arrogant, perhaps a little less so now that he's older. But his work speaks for itself.
Thanks for all he laughs, Jerry.
The nutty professor was one of our favorite movies. It was one of the few times our family could spend together without arguing. Comedic therapy, laugh and the world laughs with you.
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